X. 
ABSTRACT OF PROCEEEINGS. 
community to the mosquito problem. This increased interest has 
stimulated the Government to form a National Mosquito Control 
Committee and to make available to that Committee the sum of £4,500 
to carry out a research and educational programme. The research 
work and some of the educational programme is to be carried out at 
the University. One of the aims of the Committee is to make the 
members of the community conscious of their obligations with regard 
to mosquito control as individuals, as residents in a shire or council, 
and as citizens of the State. 
Abstract of Proceedings, 30th August, 1943. 
The Ordinary Monthly meeting of the Society was held in the 
Department of Geology of the University on Monday, 30th August, at 
8 p.m., with the President (Prof. J. Bostock) in the chair. About 
twenty-five members and friends were present. The minutes of the 
previous meeting were read and confirmed. Misses D. Haenke and 
I. Tilse were elected to Associate Membership, and Mr. Erskine, Mr. J. E. 
Cary, and Mr. L. McGrath were proposed for Ordinary Membership. 
Prof. H. J. Wilkinson gave a paper oil the anatomy of dental caries. 
In this he gave a concise account of the structure and development of 
the teeth and of dental tissues, pointing out the vulnerable features in 
tooth structure and the possible defects of development predisposing to 
the onset of dental caries. 
Prof. S. F. Lumb gave a paper on dental caries. In discussing this 
he said, “Dental caries is a disease and the most widespread of all 
diseases. Investigation, both statistical and scientific, has been intense. 
When all the data that have accumulated are analysed the majority of 
research will fall into two main headings — General or Predisposing 
Causes and Local or Exciting Causes. Under General or Predisposing 
Causes consideration has been given to the following : — Immunity, 
Heredity, Climate, Race, Community, Physical Condition, Age, Sex, 
Chemical Constituents, Endocrine Glands, and Nutrition. While these 
factors may have an influence — e.g., Endocrine Glands control meta- 
bolism, growth, calcium deposition, &c. — the outstanding factor would 
seem to be nutrition, and this has been proved to be only efficacious 
during the histological and embryological developmental period of the 
enamel. The tooth can only be affected in a general manner by nutrition 
during the developmental period ; this produces poorly developed or 
hypoplastic teeth but not caries. The Local or Exciting Causes have 
been investigated under the following headings: — Hardness of Tooth 
Structure, Developmental Defects of Jaws and Teeth, Tooth Form, 
Function, Tooth Arrangement, Saliva, Oral Flora, and Diet. While all 
these factors may appertain to some degree, the outstanding factors 
are — Oral Flora, Diet, and Saliva. The Oral Flora contains acid 
forming bacteria. Of the foods the ultra-refined carbohydrate form 
the substrate for the Flora to act on and the saliva assists in cases by 
the lowering of its II. P. Thus the question of Immunity depends on 
the absence of acid forming Oral Flora or the substrate — carbohydrate. 
To try and remove the pathogenic Oral Flora is impossible, hence the 
control is in the elimination or modification of carbohydrate in the diet 
— that is, a balanced or orderly diet.” 
